Blood component processing system, apparatus, and method

Abstract

A system and method are used in connection with processing of blood components. The processing of blood components may involve centrifugal separation and/or filtering of the blood components. In some examples, at least some blood components are centrifugally separated in a chamber and then filtered via a filter rotating along with a centrifuge rotor, wherein the filter is located closer than the chamber to an axis of rotation of the rotor. The filter may include a porous filtration medium configured to filter leukocytes, platelets, and/or red blood cells. Some examples include a pressure sensor sensing pressure of pumped blood components. The sensed pressure may be used in connection with controlling the pumping of the blood products and/or in connection with determining the location of an interface associated with the blood products. Other uses of the sensed pressure are also possible.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for processing blood components, comprising:
 a chamber comprising
 an interior configured to contain separated blood components, and 
 an outlet port for passing at least some of the separated blood components from the interior; 
 
 a flow path in flow communication with the outlet port of the chamber; 
 a filter comprising
 a filter inlet in flow communication with the flow path, 
 a porous filtration medium configured to filter at least some of at least one blood component from separated blood components passed to the filter via the flow path, and 
 a filter outlet for filtered blood components; 
 
 a pump configured to pump at least some of the separated blood components from the chamber to the filter via the flow path; and 
 a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure of blood components pumped to the filter, 
 wherein the system is configured to control the pump based on at least the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a separation chamber, wherein blood components are centrifugally separated in the interior of the container, and wherein the system further comprises a centrifuge rotor configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation, the rotor comprising a portion configured to receive the chamber. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system is configured so that the pump pumps blood components from the chamber during rotation of the centrifuge rotor. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one valving member on the centrifuge rotor, the valving member being configured to control flow of at least some of the blood components during rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one sealing member on the centrifuge rotor, the sealing member being configured to create a seal during rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the rotor further comprises a portion configured to receive the filter, and wherein the system is configured so that the rotor rotates during filtering via the filter wherein the filter comprises a filter housing defining an interior space containing the porous filtration medium, wherein the system is configured so that when the filter is received in the portion of the rotor configured to receive the filter, the filter is positioned so that blood components flow in the interior space in a direction facing generally toward the axis of rotation. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a bag formed of at least one of flexible and semi-rigid material so that the interior of the chamber has a variable volume. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is configured so that the interior of the chamber has a variable volume. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pump is configured to reduce the volume of the chamber interior. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the pump is configured to apply pressure to the chamber via hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor senses pressure of the hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to
 calculate a difference between pressures sensed by the pressure sensor in at least one time interval where blood components are pumped by the pump, 
 determine when the calculated difference is at least a predetermined amount, and 
 control the pump in response to at least the determination that the calculated difference is at least the predetermined amount. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an optical sensor, wherein the system is configured to control the pump based on at least information sensed by the optical sensor and pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said optical sensor comprises a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, the first optical sensor being positioned to sense blood components in the chamber and the second optical sensor being positioned to sense blood components in a tubing line in flow communication with the filter. 
     
     
       15. A system for processing blood components, comprising:
 a separation chamber comprising
 a chamber interior in which blood components are centrifugally separated, and 
 an outlet port for passing at least some of the centrifugally separated blood components from the chamber interior; 
 
 a flow path in flow communication with the outlet port of the separation chamber; 
 a pump configured to pump at least some of the centrifugally separated blood components from the chamber and through the flow path; and 
 a pressure sensor configured to sense pressure of blood components pumped by the pump; and 
 a centrifuge rotor configured to be rotated about an axis of rotation, the rotor comprising a portion configured to receive the separation chamber, 
 wherein the system is configured to
 calculate a difference between pressures sensed by the pressure sensor in at least one time interval, 
 determine when the calculated difference is at least a predetermined amount, and 
 control the pump in response to at least the determination that the calculated difference is at least the predetermined amount. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the system is configured so that the pump pumps blood components from the chamber during rotation of the centrifuge rotor. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one valving member on the centrifuge rotor, the valving member being configured to control flow of at least some of the blood components during rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a sealing member on the centrifuge rotor, the sealing member being configured to create a seal during rotation of the rotor. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a filter comprising a porous filtration membrane configured to filter at least one blood component from the pumped blood products. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the chamber comprises a bag formed of at least one of flexible and semi-rigid material so that the interior of the chamber has a variable volume. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the pump is configured to reduce the volume of the chamber interior. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21 , wherein the pump is configured to apply pressure to the chamber via hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the sensor senses pressure of the hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an optical sensor, wherein the system is configured to control the pump based on at least information sensed by the optical sensor and pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24 , wherein said optical sensor comprises a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor, the first optical sensor being positioned to sense blood components in the chamber and the second optical sensor being positioned to sense blood components in a tubing line associated with the flow path.